Ramachandi

The temple of Ramachandi is one of the important Sakti shrines of Orissa. It is situated near the sea-shore, at a distance of 7 kms to the south of the Sun Temple of Konark. 1 This temple is exactly located on the right side of the Marine Drive Road, which lies between Puri and Konark. It is considered by local people that Goddess Ramachandi is the presiding deity of the whole of Arkakshetra. From the architectural point of view, the temple of Ramachandi is not important but from the religious point of view, it is one of the famous Sakta pithas of Puri. The temple of Ramachandi is a small deula and it consists of two structures such as vimana and jagamohana. There is an open flat roof mandapa, recently built in front of the jagamohana. This temple is built in sand stones, laterite and bricks. It faces to north.

Goddess Ramachandi, the deity of Konark is thought by some to be the presiding deity of this temple, while others thought it to be the temple of Mayadevi, wife of Surya (Sun god). She was the main deity or goddess of Konark. The people of this place worship the goddess with great respect and devotion. Ramachandi Temple was one of the most historical temples of Orissa.

Now the temple has collapsed leaving remains of its broken walls and the empty throne. There is no historical evidence to conclude about its presiding deity there are, however, difference of opinion about the presiding deity of this temple. It has been surmised by some. As found in Puri Jagannath temple as well as in Bhubaneswar Lingaraj temple, so also Ramachandi, the chief goddess of the kshetra was perhaps enshrined in the enclosure of the main temple of Konark.

There is also a popular story current about leaving of Konark by Ramachandi due to attack of Muslim Suleman Kalapahad in 1568.The goddess Ramachandi dressed as a Maluni (maid servant) told Kalapahad to wait at the door till she returned with water for the goddess. Kalapahad waited anxiously to get some cold water for a long time. But when it was too late he entered into the temple and found the throne empty. Then he followed the Maluni with great anger thinking that the Maluni carried away the goddess. He reached the bank of the river Kushabhadra and found the goddess Ramachandi floating in the middle of the river. The river was as in full spate, he came back without being able to cross the river. Being advised by goddess in a dream, a Panda (priest) built a temple on the bank of the river Kushabhadra, near the sea shore which is a sandy deserted place. Now the place is called Ramachandi and every year many visitors come here to enjoy the charming sight of nature and to make amusement.

The main temple along with its Mukhasala had been built on one platform of 3′.2” (965 cm) high. On the three sides of the temple walls i.e. south, west and north there were three figures of Sun god as side Gods. Now one can see these side gods in north and southern side, where as the figure of the western side has been displaced and is said to have been preserved in the National Museum at New Delhi. This image is said to have some sculptural specialization and is regarded to be one of the beautiful images of the Sun god. Though smaller in size, the side-gods of this temple are of similar type in all respet with the side-Gods in the Sun temple. Only we find today the side images of the northern side is somewhat in good condition while the image in the southern side has no head and the hands broken.

There is only one door to enter into the temple through the eastern door of the Mukhasala. The throne of the presiding deity inside the main temple has also been broken in architectural totality this temple is of high order and attracts visitors.The site of Ramachandi temple is also a picnic spot.